Suspended soaking pit cover



Nov. 7,1939. 7 L. s. LONGENECKER SUSPENDED SOAKING PIT COVER Filed Aug. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1939- L. s. LONGENECKER 2,178,668

SUSPENDED SOAKING PIT COVER Filed Aug. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Nov. 7, 1 939. L. s. LONGENECKER 2,1 6 8 SUSPENDED SOAKING PIT COVER Filed Aug. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 17 1Q 15/ v I Y1! 15/ .51 r r INVENTOR Patente Nov. 7, 1939 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 31,

My present invention relates to soaking pit covers and more particularly to suspended soakare new and useful in this art.

Suspended soaking pit covers arecomparatively well Mom and comparatively widely used. They generally are provided with a channel frame and a side shoe bolted thereto which has certain known defects and disadvantages. For example, the channel frame is so arranged that the upper and lower flanges thereof extend outwardly and, being, unprotected, are exposed to the full blast of 'heat from the soaking pit. While the side shoe used. in prior structures is intended to give good heat radiation, as a matter offact such is not actually secured. The bolts between the channel frame and the side shoe in prior constructions are in tension and thus constitute relatively weak and insecure fastening means. The refractory tile which is commonly placed within the side shoe is diflicult to keep in position because it burns away at the corners and therefore is diiiicult to support. In short, the prior art structure on the subject of my present invention has been woefully inadequate to meet commercial requirements. I

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the defects and disadvantages to which prior structures are subject and to produce a new and useful structural arrangement which has advantages peculiar to itself.

Another object resides in so constructing a soaking pit cover that thechannel frame thereof has its flanges protected against damage and an unusually efiective heat radiation and dissipation is secured.

A further object resides in so mounting refractory tile adjacent the inner surface of the side shoe which is of sectional nature that the tile itself serves to aid in protecting the channel frame and, due to its interlocked positioning within the cover, maintains its full and efiective insulating position regardless of the. extent of damage occurring at the corners thereof due to burning away.

A still further object resides in providing insulation for the suspended arch of the soaking pit cover which, in conjunction with the features already referred to, gives new and useful ualb ties to the cover as a whole, thereby minimizing maintenance, particularly in connection with the replacement of tile or metal work utilized in the make-up of the cover.

Other and.v further objects and-advautagesreside in the various combinations, sub-combina- 1938, Serial No. 227,749 (Cl. 263-46) tions, and details hereinafter set forth as well as in such other and further matters as will be pointed out hereinafter or understood by those skilled in this art.

Inthe accompanying drawings forming a part 5 hereof and wherein like numerals designate corresponding parts:

- Figure 1 is a plan view of my new soaking pit cover with parts thereof broken away for con-' venlence and clarity;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line I[-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the left-hand portion of Fig. 3 and showing in full the details of construction involved; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the cover of Fig. 3 but on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that the cover is designated as a whole by the numeral III, that it is mode up in the usual manner of spaced parallel transverse arch beams II and is provided on its top with an X-bracing. This X-bracing has a central plate-like member I2 and the diagonally disposed metal members is which are secured at spaced points as indicated at it to the underlyingtransverse beams ii.

Around the beams ii and connecting them together is a channel frame it made up of a number of channel members which are reversed as compared with the customary arrangement; viz., channel frame it is so disposed that its web it formsa peripheral boundary for the cover it and 1 the flanges ill, i8 project inwardly. This channel frame extends all the way around the cover as will be understood from Fig. 1 in particular, and secured thereto are the sectional side shoe castings i9.

By referring to Fig. 5 it will be observed that each section it of the side shoe is configured in a certain definite manner which will be clear from the cross-sectional view thereof shown in Fig. 1'. The sectional side shoe it? has an extended outer surface which provides an unusually large and effective free area for radiation. On its inner side the side shoe i9 is provided with an inter mediate projecting flange 2d, a bottom flange 2i parallel to the intermediate flange and a vertical depending flange 22 which is preferably strengthened by the provision of a series of connecting metal webs 28 of triangular shape as indicated in Fig. 4. The channel frame i5 has its lower flange it in contact with the intermediate flange 2d of side shoe I3 and bolts 2i pass through the side shoe and the web of the channel frame to connect these two members together in secure manner and under such conditions that the bolts are in shear, in contrast to the manner of securing similar bolts under tension in accordance with prior art teachings.

Between the flanges and 2| of the side shoe [3 refractory tiles are located having such size and configuration as to rest upon the lower flange 2| and terminating just short of the under side of the intermediate flange 20. This arrangement rwults in the formation of an insulating air space 26 between tiles 25 and the lower channel frame flange ll. Each refractory tile 25 is provided with an L-shaped cut away portion 21 in its upper righthand corner, and fitted into said L-shaped cut away portion is the L-shaped lower end 23 of the shoe tile support casting 29. This casting is secured by one or more bolts 30 to a metal upright 3| which is welded in place between flange I3 and the lower flanges of arch beam ll. Upright 3|, which preferably takes the form of an angle cooperates with arch beam l I to forma brace between flanges l8 and I! of the side channel l5.

On the other side of the shoe tile support casting 29 the suspended arch is built up from the refractory tiles 32 which are arranged in bundles in a manner which will be understood (see Fig. 2). A pair of beam hanger castings 33 depend from the lower flange of arch beams l I and hold the two central tiles of each tile bundle and auxiliary hanger castings 34 hold the remaining tiles of the bundle and interlock with the hangers 33. The hangers are self-cooling and are embedded a relatively small proportion (not over /4) of their mass thereof in an inverted T-shaped slot 35 in the top of each refractory tile 32. The hanger-Ts 36 are cemented in place in the tile 32 by a cementitious slurry or the like as shown at 31. It will be noted that adjacent tiles 32 are cut away at their upper corners as at 38 and thus form a space or chamber across the adjacent tiles. This space or chamber is filled up by insulating media which consists of an inner cementitious material 39 around which is a plastic cement or grouting 30.

Each tile 32 is also so configured on one face or surface as to provide a generally triangular projection I interrupted by recesses or recessed irregularities 42'or the like and on the other side by a similar configuration in the form of a recess with projections complementary to the portions ll and 32. Therefore, adjacent tiles in each bundle are securely interlocked face to face and the tiles are interlocked edge to edge by the insulating material just above described, this insulating material terminatingflush with the upper surface of the tile 32 as will be clearly apparent from Fig. 4 in particular. Adjacent tile bundles are connected by the offsetting shown at 43 in Fig. 2.

Depending flange 22 of side shoe [9 normally projects into the sand seal 44 .in the trough 45 formed in the pit wall 46. It will be noted that the pit wall and the cover do not contact each other and thus the cover is suspended, there being, of course, a considerable upward thrust by the sand seal upon the flange 22.

Means are provided for connecting the cover to an overhead truck (not shown) by means of which these covers are customarily manipulated to open and close the pit. This means may be constituted of connections or links 41 which pass around and under the rolls or pulleys 43 which are journalled between the spaced angle plate members 49. Thus a cover may be raised and lowered by decreasing and increasing, respectively, the lengths of connections 41 by the appropriate movement of a pulley on the shaft or an electric motor or other source of motive power (not shown) to which connections 41 are secured. Means are also provided for moving, these covers backward into pit opening position and forward into pit closing position, and this is done by having the wheels of the overhead trucks, above referred to, operate upon the rails designated at in Fig. 3. The truck, motors and connections for moving the cover vertically and horizontally are well known in this art and per se form no part ofmy present invention.

Referring to Fig. 4 again, it will be particularly noted that heat from the soaking pit impinges directly upon the tile 25 and 32. These tiles serve to protect the metal work of the cover, particularly the side shoe l9 and the lower flange l8 of the channel frame IS. The tile 25 acts as a further insulation as also does the air space 5| above the lower flange I8, and this arrangement, coupled with the unusually large exposed surface of the side shoe casting, keeps the temperature of the cover within moderate bounds. The bolts 24 also are in a comparatively protected position; furthermore, the tile 25 nearest the side shoe ordinarily burns away rapidly but the present arrangement greatly prolongs the length of life of this tile and materially cuts down necessary replacements.

In prior tile, as soon as the corners were burned away or crumbled away it became useless and would, therefore, have to be removed and replaced immediately. The tile 25, as shown in Fig. 4, has two substantial points of support, and hence the tile can be considerably burned away or broken without the tile becoming displaced or requiring replacement. The suspended arch in connection with the shoe tile support casting 23 and the other structural features above described give new and increased utility and life to the tile 32, Of course, in every cover tile eventually will have to be replaced, but such replacement is more infrequent in my present cover and also facilitated, being more accessible and more readily removable singly or in groups with little dismantling of the cover. Repairs can be made from the top and outside in contrast toprior covers and repairs in each case involve less parts to be removed and replaced.

It will therefore be understood that I have provided a new and useful soaking pit cover of the suspended arch type which goes far beyond what is known in this art and in particular is a real and substantial improvementover existing structures. My invention comprises, as will be understood, a rearranged cover, particularly insofar as the metal work and outer tile are concerned.

The superiority of the present cover as well as its increased longevity and decreased maintenance is amply demonstrated.

The numeral 52 (Figs. 1 and 2) indicates a pyrometer hole. This is formed by appropriately cutting the tile 32 in the field. Any suitable pyrometer may, of course, be utilized to determine, indicate, or record the temperature to which the cover is subjected or to which the pit is raised.

The foregoing is intended as illustrative or exemplary rather than limitative or restrictive,'and within the purview thereof I may make various modiflcations, substitutions, additions, and omissions without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention. Rather the scope is that defined by the appended claims. 7

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

p 1. A suspended soaking pit cover comprising a frame having a flanged marginal channel disposed with its flanges directed inwardly, a sec-. tional side shoe partially overlapping said channel in abutting relation with the web thereof, means for in shear connecting said shoe and channel, an inwardly directed intermediate flange on said side shoe contacting with a channel flange, an inwardly directed flange on the bottom of said side shoe adapted to support refractory tile and a downwardly extending flange adapted to project into a sand seal disposed in' a trough around said pit.

2. In a soaking pit cover, the combination of a side channel having its flanges extending inwardly, a side shoe bolted to the channel in overlapping relation thereto, an intermediate flange on said shoe with which the lowerflange of said channel contacts, refractory tile associated with the inner surface of said shoe, means for maintaining said tile in place and a depending extension on the bottom of said shoe.

3. Structure asclaimed in claim 2 wherein the refractory tile is provided with an L-shaped slot in its side opposite the shoe and a shoe tile sup port casting is secured to said cover and has an L-shaped lower end adapted to be received in the said tile slot.

4. In a soaking pit cover, a channel having its flanges directed inwardly, a side shoe casting abutting the web of said channel in overlapping relationship,-means for maintaining the shoe and channel in such association, means on the shoe with which the lowerflange of thechannel contacts and means on said shoe for effecting a seal, the construction and arrangement being such that said shoe has a large exposed heat radiating surface and said channel is heat-insulated.

5. Structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein refractory tile is disposed between the soaking pit and the lower channel flange together with means for maintaining the tile in position.

6. Structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the refractory tile is provided with an L-shaped slot in its side opposite the shoe and a shoe tile support casting is secured to said cover and has an L- 'shaped lower end adapted to be received in said tile slot, a suspended arch terminating in abutment with said shoe tile support, said suspended arch including a plurality of interlocking tiles having reduced upper ends and insulation in the spaces formed between the reduced upper ends, said insulation being flush with the upper faces of the tiles.

7. Structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the refractory tile is provided with an L-shaped slot in its side opposite the shoe and a shoe tile support casting is secured to said cover and has an L-shaped lower end adapted to be received in the said tile slot, a suspendedarch terminating in abutment with said shoe tile support, said -suspended arch including a plurality of interlocking tiles having reduced upper ends and insulation in the spaces formed between the reduced upper ends, said insulation being flush with the upper faces of the tiles, each such tile being suspended by a hanger which irremovably fits into a slot in the tile top, the hanger being cemented in place 

